Fires of the Small
by fameby23
Summary: Valinor is a place undying land and peace. But when a little boy is found wandering the forests of such a sacred place, what might go wrong? Frodo shaped the fortunes of us all in the 3rd age of Middle Earth. Now it is Sam's turn.
1. Prologue: Foretelling Danger

**This is the prologue to a story I am writing called Fires of the Small. I am basing the continuation off of reviews so if you look at this page, please let me know what you think! **

**Disclaimer: No, I am not the owner of The Lord of the Rings. sighs**

"Where _did_ they go? Where did _he _go?"

The wet, cold, and very much lost Samwise was trying to figure out what his next move was. How could he possibly have so many more problems than when they began their journey so many years ago? It seemed like thousands to poor Sam now.

"What I need is a good think through." Said Sam as he talked himself into taking a breather, and ultimately to quit the running. "Where were they, I know the lady said they would be here... didn't she?"

Samwise Gamgee felt entirely alone. Faintly, the sound of leaves rustling could be heard-a twig snapping here and there. Then again, it was just a feeling.


	2. Chapter 1: A Flash of Light

"Well, I'm back

**Chapter 1: A flash of Light**

"Well, I'm back." Samwise Gamgee sighed as he and Rosie Cotton, his wife, walked back into their hobbit hole.

"Boy, what a journey!" He exclaimed. "You know Rosie, I was beginnin' to believe that that ring would never be destroyed, but when it really was gone, it felt like I had known it all along."

"Oh Samwise," replied Rosie, running over to Sam. "you have no idea how much you and Mr. Baggins, Mr. Brandybuck, and Mr. Took were missed around these parts. 13 months began to feel like years. But that's all over now, and you are all safe and sound back home!"

"Not all of us." Sam replied, looking quite glum now. "Frodo is gone, and Gandalf, and the Strider, everybody! Merry and Pippin are off across the Brandywine Bridge. Rosie, I'm the only one left."

"Now you look here Sam," Rosie stated sternly, "you have everything in the world here. We have beautiful children now, you have a beautiful home, and beautiful wife…" She grinned. "I know how much you miss the Fellowship, but that chapter of your life is over now. It is time for a new chapter to begin. Just like Mr. Frodo said, 'The last few pages are for you, Sam.' It is your part of the story that will continue. Embrace that power."

"Thanks, Rosie. What did I ever do without you?" He walked across the floor to hug her.

As time went on, Sam seemed to take Rosie's advice. Although he would never forget the people the he loved so dearly, he indeed started a new chapter in his life. He began to really enjoy the simple things in life once more; eating the first of the strawberries with cream, sowing the summer barley, having a good ale with Merry and Pippin at the Old Gaffers after a hard days work every once in a while. Better yet, he was healing. Not just on the outside, but his spirit. The Shire had their good old Samwise Gamgee once more.

One afternoon, while Sam was out watching the little ones play and enjoying a good pipe weed, he was delivered a note and a small pouch at his door.

"Addressed to Mr. Samwise Gamgee and Company." He read to himself. "Hmmm? I wonder who in Middle Earth this could be from?" He opened the note and began to read.

"_It is in the best interest of you, Mr. Gamgee that you would journey to __Lothlorien. The elven queen is expecting you. It is advised that you travel alone, for there cannot be any delays. _

_Travel safely._

_P.S. - Be sure to take the pouch with you. You will find it gives great assistance."_

Sam pulled the little pouch off of the note and pulled the string.

"I wonder what in the world this could be?" He reached inside. "Elven bread! So that's how it will help me! One bite of this will last a grown man a week! I bet it is even longer for a hobbit! But why would the lady Galadriel want to see me? I wonder on what terms it regards? I've only seen her--" Sam stopped dead in his tracks. "The ring. Oh, I must go! I must go right away!"

Sam rushed inside his little hobbit hole and started tossing his garments into a bag. "Its just like before…" Sam stated, remembering how he, Frodo, and Gandalf had to rush off in the same manner so long ago.

Suddenly, Rosie walked in. "And just what do you think you are doing?"

"Rosie! There you are! We need to talk." And so Samwise and Rosie sat down, as he attempted to explain to her how he had received the letter. He told her about his meeting in Lothlorien with the Fellowship, and how he suspects the Ring, even though it was destroyed, must have something to do with it.

"Samwise Gamgee!" Rosie blurted out. "I don't want you to have anything more to do with this "Ring" business. Mr. Frodo destroyed it. You saw it with you very eyes! Now we all just need to put it in the past and go on with our lives!"

"Rosie, listen to me. Galadriel is the elven queen. She is a Ring bearer! And on top of that, she must have came back from Valinor for this! Think about it, there is no other reason why she would summon me like this. Rosie, everything fits together."

Sam was doing his best to explain to his wife that this was an urgent matter, and must be handled as such. Finally Rosie, taking Sam's hands in her, looked into his eyes. "Go. Go and make haste." Rosie replied with a tear in her eye.

"Thank you! Thank you so very much!" Sam picked her up in his arm for one last embrace before his journey. He told his children goodbye, a task he was hoping he would never have to face, and he was off.

"We'll see you soon, Samwise Gamgee! We will! Make haste now!" Rosie shouted out the door, watching her husband leave one too many times.

Sam traveled across Middle Earth, day in and day out, in search of the once familiar Lothlorien. The elven bread was treating him nicely, and he had plenty to spare for the journey home. This time, he was sure there would be a return journey. Something inside him though, deep down and hidden, told him something just wasn't how it was supposed to be. On the fifth day, Sam had been walking for quite some time. "I think I will take a rest, just for a little while, to regain some energy." Samwise laid out a small cloth, just big enough for a hobbit, and sat down, elven bread in hand. He looked at his surroundings, ready to doze for a while. Something then, caught his attention.

"What in the world could that be?" He puzzled. "Maybe I should take a closer look." The thing that Samwise was talking about was reflecting in the beautiful sunlight. It was blinding, but attractive. It was capable of shining through the multitude of trees in the forest, so whatever it was, it must have been powerful.

Sam's curiosity got the best of him; for he repacked up his belongings and began to walk. It was midday, and it was starting to get cold. The farther he walked, the farther the destination seemed to be. "This is very strange indeed" Sam thought to himself. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. The letter was urgent enough, and obviously I am not getting any further this way! I should just turn back." And with that, Samwise turned around, but not without one last look at whatever it was that he was heading towards. As he took his first steps back towards his original trail, he stopped dead in his tracks. He heard a voice.

"_Fear not Samwise Gamgee, for I bear good news for you. Turn around towards the light, and all will be well." _ The voice told the frightened hobbit. Sam was now so entirely afraid he couldn't make up his mind in the least. Eventually he decided that it would probably be better to obey whatever it was that told him to turn around, in fear of what would happen if he didn't. Sam turned around slowly, and looked directly at the light he was facing. Then, a flash.

In an instant Sam was not where he was two seconds before. He was in a city, filled with the biggest trees one would ever see in their lives! And it was glowing. "Where have I gotten myself now? Sam wondered out loud. "I bet this was the light! How incredible!" Sam was amazed.

"_You, Samwise Gamgee, are in Lothlorien. The realm of the elven queen." _

Sam whirled around, and for the first time, this voice was not just in his head. As he turned, he saw the most spectacular, beautiful sight in all of Middle Earth.

Galadriel, the elven queen, stood before his feet once more.

**So, how did you like it? If you have any tips for me, please let me know! I am writing this story for YOU, so please let me know what YOU think!**


	3. Chapter 2: Grey Tales

**Chapter 2: Grey Tales**

Samwise could not believe his eyes. He rubbed them, just to make sure they didn't decide to play tricks on him. "My lady!" Sam humbly exclaimed. He got on his knees and bowed low and proud.

"My dear Samwise Gamgee, there is no need for that!" Galadriel replied. "We are in a time like no other has seen before. Come, Samwise. Let us walk." And so the little hobbit took the fair Galadriel's hand and walked with her. How honored Sam felt to be walking with the elven queen once more. It was hope against hope.

There was something different about Galadriel, though Samwise could not quite put his finger on it. "What could it be?" Samwise was wondering. But when they stepped out of the shadows of the trees and into the brilliant light of day, all was revealed. "My lady?" Sam was startled. "Beggin' your pardon ma'am, but you're grey! What happened to the Galadriel I saw so long ago, clad in white purer than fresh snow? What is going on?"

"Samwise, days ago, you received a letter. That's how you knew to come here. Do you have it with you?"

"Yes, my lady," he fumbled through his bag. "and I think I know the reason it was sent to me. Ah! There it is!" He handed the letter to Galadriel. "It's the Ring, isn't it? Something's just not proper. I can feel it. It's as if I have known something is not right with that business, but I don't know what. And you know my lady, I think Mr. Frodo suspected something as well. From the moment both of our eyes stared down at the molten lava, from the moment we were lifted from the weight of that power of evil, it was surreal. Like we were seeing it, but we were just watching what might have been. It felt too good to be true." Sam studied Galadriel's expression as he finally exposed his feelings to the queen.

"Gandalf was right, Samwise Gamgee. There are definitely more to hobbits than meets the eye." Galadriel smiled at him. "Come, let us sit." She motioned to a little bench right outside the wall of mighty trees. "You know, you are not entirely wrong, Sam. In fact, you are actually quite right. This is about the Ring. I have felt it too, Samwise. When the company and myself left for Valinor, something was telling me that the time was not right. But what has happened now is something none of us had ever seen, thought of, or dreamed in the entire history of Middle Earth."

"What do you mean my lady?" Sam was feeling the strangest combination of anxiousness and nervousness. "I don't understand a bit of this! My lady, why did you come back? Why are you grey? Why is Lothlorien so bright? Where are the others? How come-? He was interrupted.

"Patience, Samwise, patience! We shall get to it all in good time. But I can answer you this. When we arrived in Valinor, everything was ok at first. We were living happily, and we were truly grateful that we had made the decision to leave. The elves finally had a permanent dominion, and Frodo could be, at last, in piece of the miseries of Middle Earth." Galadriel looked dreamy, sedated almost, as if she bore a great burden. She stared at the letter, and continued her tale.

"One afternoon, Samwise, not far from when we first arrived there, the company went exploring our new realm."

**So that's chapter 2! Hope you guys liked it! PLEASE REVIEW! People are starting to review now (YAY!!) and I would like more opinions! See you at Chapter 3!**


	4. Chapter 3: The Pack

**Chapter 3: The Pack **

"What is it like my lady? Valinor, I mean." Samwise sat eagerly next to the fair elven queen, intent on hearing the rest of her tale. "I can only imagine the world that only most hobbits have dreamed of seein'. Think of Mr. Frodo! How exciting it must be to breathe air that has never been breathed before, walk the trails of the untamed forests, sit of the shore of a clean lake, while watching an everlasting sunset! Oh, I can picture it now!"

Galadriel's face went solemn, as if a painful memory had appeared once more in her wise memory. There was a crease in her brow. She quickly shook it off, afraid that Sam would notice and become even more suspicious that he was at the moment. She cleared her throat. "My dear Samwise Gamgee, I have not finished my tale! Now, where was I? Oh yes, we had just arrived in Valinor, and began to explore the magnificent new world. It was just as you could imagine it Sam, but 1,000 times more! It was eerie though, as if all the memories that were ever lost resided here. Frodo especially loved the rolling green hills. He planned to begin the construction of a brand new hobbit hole! Legolas enjoyed the enchanting forests. Everyone was at piece. All except one. Gandalf was not quite himself. 'Something is about to begin again.' He repeated that phrase over and over again. He was the only one who admitted the change of atmosphere. Deep down we all knew everyone suspected something as well."

"What do you mean, my lady? What was different? What is beginning again? Galadriel, please, tell me what this is all about! I can't take much more of this! The anticipation is far too much!"

"Samwise Gamgee, I have called you to this meeting to discuss a very serious matter. I need you to listen intently and keep all questions silent until a later time. What I am about to tell you Sam is desperately important. I will only tell you once. This information is being entrusted to you and only you. If any of this ever leaves the spaces of Lothlorien, the fate of Middle Earth will be in our hands. Do you understand dear hobbit?"

Sam nodded intently, although he was not certain he understood clearly. He knew full well what the fair Galadriel was telling him, but he did not have the slightest idea how to go about it. What could be so secret? One thing kept jogging through unsettled Sam's mind: _The Ring_. He always did go with his gut in matters like these, but sometimes his gut was telling him something so absurd it couldn't possibly be right. How could it be right? Sam's mind was not intending on leaving him alone any time soon.

"The Ring was destroyed, everyone knows that. And who could know that better than me? I saw it with my very eyes! Something was up that moment, on the other hand. Idyllic as it seems, the Ring just couldn't be destroyed that easy, could it? Is that possible to get rid of that intensity of evil? Maybe that is the problem. What if the Ring has absolutely nothing to do with it at all? The power within this object though, that is another matter entirely. I have got to find out what this is all about. Ok, Sam, focus. Breathe." As the little hobbit was calming himself down, Galadriel began to speak. Sam jumped to attention, noticing the silence that surrounded them all through his visit to the elven realm.

"We went exploring, Samwise Gamgee, the lands of Valinor. Far and wide they spread, beyond all sight of even the sharpest eye. The clan decided it was best to stay together, even though we were all certain nothing could harm us anymore. After Gandalf's "warning" if you will, the group and I was the slightest bit on edge, so it is understandable. Valinor has everything and more to offer a group of travelers, and it turned out that it was easier to camp out few hours at a time instead of hiking from a designated point. Convenience is no worry in the undying lands. The group was having the greatest time they had ever experienced; ages upon ages on discontentment were wearing off of even the most troubled of the few. Gandalf's warning was forgotten, and the strength of the guard we put up began to soften. All was well as serenity, peace, and the light of heart resided in Valinor once more. The forests were the most beautiful of it all, and most of our adventures took place there. Then, the pack was found."

Sam jumped when these words sliced across the elven queen's tongue. He gatherer himself up, and motioned for her to continue.

Galadriel began once more. "This particularly adventurous day started with Legolas and Frodo being the earliest risers. They took off in the direction of the lake, to fetch some water for the rest of the crew that morning. We were used to a few members of the group following this example, so no veil of anything unusual was lifted before our eyes. They came back with the water soon after they had left, but with more that just water. In Frodo's hand lay a pack. Empty and torn as it was, it definitely belonged to a dweller of this land. The two finders asked everyone if they were missing one of their carrying packs, but when none turned up missing, the whispers started. Silence went about. The group turned to one another, verifying that a mistake had not been made. I did not know how to go about this matter; none of us knew what the next move would be. Gandalf sat in the back of the group, eyes sparking, muttering under his breath an ancient spell to keep the peace, if there was any left to be kept. No one spoke, but we all heard the wise wizards words run through our heads more times than countable. _'Something is about to begin again.' _This simple phrase became eerie, as if it were in a strange language the clan was only vaguely familiar with. Gandalf was onto something. That part became completely apparent in an instant. Suddenly, he spoke:

'My friends, we must remain calm and restore order within this group before it slips out of our grasp. It is clear to me and to all of you that we are not the only ones residing in Valinor within a close range. Our guard goes back up right now, and it must not come down until we know more about this pack's origin. For the time being, we will rest here until we are ready to search. We must find this dweller before it finds us. Do not despair, for not all creatures are foes.'

The group was comforted by his words of wisdom, and rested for a few hours, getting ready to explore. We decided that it would be best to sick together as normally done. The camp was packed and the clan walked on and on through the forest. No sign of any life other than our own was discovered, until bold Aragorn spotted a figure in the distance. It wasn't moving, but it certainly did not appear to be a part of the wilderness. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf went ahead in the general direction of the figure, and the rest of us followed with caution. Ahead, we spotted the three brave members of the group standing as still as statues next to the figure. It appeared to be fairly safe to go ahead, so we met up with them. The shock of the entire journey arose when we stepped up next to the figure. There was not a hideous creature, nor some sort of animal standing before us. No. It was nothing more than a boy, quite small, ragged, and strong, no more than the age of ten. Everybody was in shock. A boy was the last thing any one of us would have expected. Silence filled the air. The boy eyed each one of us very precisely; back and back his eyes went upon us. We reflected his example upon him. After what seemed like days passed between us, Gandalf cautiously spoke. He occupied such a tone that it would appear he was whispering.

'What is you name, dear boy?' Gandalf uttered.

'Sauron. Sauron of Grindfolk.' The child replied."

**This is the 3****rd**** chapter of Fires of the Small! I hope you enjoyed it! I sure am having fun writing it! Please give me your thoughts and opinions on this tale! Onward to Chapter 4!**


	5. Chapter 4: A Familiar Fate

**Chapter 4: A Familiar Fate**

At this moment, Samwise Gamgee's eyes were bugging out of his head. He could not grasp the words that the fair Galadriel just uttered. The little hobbit was so entirely nervous that he began running in circles until he was so dizzy he plopped right down upon the elven lady's feet.

"My dearest Sam, do not let this news bother you so, for it is the reason why I have come back."

"Galadriel, this can't be! It just can't be! What is happening? How could this happen? What do you mean it was Sauron? I simply can't bear it!" Samwise collapsed once again upon the floor after many trial and error attempts to get his feet beneath him. "I don't understand, my lady. None of this is fitting together! Not one bit! If the little boy was…" Sam gulped. "Sauron, then what in the world have I missed? I am so confused!"

"Calm yourself, Samwise Gamgee, and I shall explain to the best of my knowledge why these strange things are occurring." The elven queen rose. "In the beginning of the age of the ring, the Sauron we have all come to know was much different. He was, in fact, human."

Sam's eyes bulged even wider, so that it appeared as if they would come right out of his sockets.

"Sauron did not inhabit Middle Earth in his early days. No, he grew up in Grindfolk, a humble community on the shores of Valinor. As the records show, he was found wandering the forests by a traveling blacksmith and his wife. They took him back to their cottage, where they raised him and taught him the kind values they believed the world should follow. From day one, he was adored by them both, but especially by the blacksmith. That was to be his living one day, molding metal. Sauron was fascinated by it. As the years went by, he grew to become friends with the town tailor, most importantly the tailor's daughter. Lily was her name. They spent the long hours of every day together. Day in and day out, their friendship grew steadily closer. Nothing could have drawn them apart. Until, one fateful day, the blacksmith came to Sauron."

"_Valinor has nothing for us anymore, my boy. The metal here is not what it used to be. The folk here are industrializing, using materials that no longer require the work of a blacksmith. Your mother and I will be traveling west, to a land called Middle Earth. We would appreciate it very much if you would oblige and come on this journey with us. Please my boy, think about it for a moment." _

"You must understand, my dear Samwise, that this moment is when Sauron began to loose himself. He was fuming, saying things he would never mean to say in his right mind."

"_HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US? There are plenty of other villages that would purchase your goods! Are you mad? I can't leave now! What about Lily? I love her!"_

"The blacksmith froze, and so did Sauron. The silence that passed before them was thick and heavy, dark and grey, full of change."

"_Love her, my boy?" _

"The blacksmith's voice was hoarse and dry, but at the same time it had such a chill that could frost the leaves on the trees. Sauron could have fainted. He was bewildered that he himself could be so brainless."

"_Well, yes, I love her! We intend to get married! I will not leave with you! Not here, not now!" _

"Sauron and the blacksmith went off in opposite directions, each muttering unkindly thing beneath their breath." Galadriel paused in her tale. "Are you beginning to understand, Samwise, where this story is going?"

Sam nodded in approval, but the fear that crawled under his skin clasped his mouth so tightly shut that is was impossible to make the smallest of noises.

Galadriel began again. "Sauron decided that it was then or never to ask for Lily's hand in marriage. He snuck out the front door in the darkest of hours, making no sound at all. He intended to make a ring for Lily, to make the occasion last in her memory forever. Sauron walked and walked through the forests of Valinor, past the place where two kindly people had given him a second chance in life so long ago. How could they turn on him now, after all those years of love and friendship? Sauron had walked so far and so long that he found himself coming upon the foot of the mountains. He climbed atop one of the tallest trees to get a better look of his surroundings. As he was climbing he was stunned to see glow coming from a small cave in the side of the mountain. It was much too far away to see from where he perched, but was close enough to appear dazzling and wonderful. Instantly, a plan formed in the love struck Sauron's mind. That must be the place to find the perfect material for Lily's ring! He leapt from the tree (no matter how far from the ground it was) and broke out into a full run toward the glowing cave. By the time he neared his destination, it was nearly dawn, so he was extra cautious not to be seen. Finally, the cave was upon him. The glow was nearly overbearing, but surprisingly powerful, as if, some how or someway, it was calling to him. Sauron peered inside, and saw something magical; gold rock, as far as the eye could see. It was the perfect material for Lily's ring. He picked up a chunk of the mysterious substance, and that's when it happened."

"What happened my lady? What happened?" Sam interrupted.

"Samwise Gamgee, I am not finished with my tale! All will be clear in the end. Sauron picked up the rock, glowing brighter that ever now, and began to climb back down the mountain. It began to become heavier with each stride he made away from the hill, and he was almost certain that something was speaking to him from the cave, or maybe from the stone itself. He found himself stopping every few minutes, just to admire his prize. Minutes quickly turned into seconds, and pretty soon Sauron was reluctant to alter the stone in any way-even if it was for Lily. Eventually, Sauron was back in Grindfolk, and he unwillingly trudged into the blacksmith's shop. He took out the stone, gazing at it, turning it about in his already trembling hands. A voice deep down told him to put it back, and for some reason Sauron knew it was a power all its own. He lit the fire to begin making the wedding ring, but what Sauron saw then was the most unexpected thing in the whole world."

A chill went up Sam's spine. Although Galadriel was telling the story, she looked shaken up a bit as well. "The writing…" Sam whispered, as if it would bring upon then a fowl omen if it were spoken too loudly.

"Very good, Samwise. That is exactly what Sauron saw. Suddenly, Lily was a foreign name to him. The intentions he had once possessed faded, and Sauron wanted the ring for a new purpose entirely. Sauron of Grindfolk was gone. The next day, he willingly agreed to go to Middle Earth with his adopted family, something that struck them all as odd, for they argued on this matter just the night before. They all packed up their belongings, and they were gone, just like that. Sauron didn't even manage to say goodbye to Lily, the one who unintentionally caused everything. By the time they arrived in Middle Earth, Sauron was almost as you remember him, cold and dark, but with a fiery purpose burning straight through his sole. They came upon the shores of a land that would eventually become Mordor. Mount Doom became his home, his place of escape. Finally, Sauron was willed to make a ring of his own, to be a keeper of his power and energy. That is the very ring that Frodo had to bear. You remember how evil the ring was, Samwise. Once it is in one's grasp, there is no stopping it, even if you are its creator. And so the age of the One Ring began. This is why I have come back Sam. The world has changed, once again Samwise, but not so much that it has not been seen before, no matter how long ago it may be. It is happening again Sam Gamgee."

"What do you mean, 'happening again' my lady? You mean, repeating itself?"

"That is precisely what I mean, my dear hobbit. You see, when the Ring was destroyed by Frodo, everything reset itself. That is why we came upon the young Sauron in the forests of Valinor. That is why I have come for you. Everything is beginning again, and this time, we may be able to stop it. If we make haste, we may be able to alter the happenings of this young boy's life to where the evil that he once spread will never be sought of again. There is still hope, little hobbit. We must have faith."

"But why me, fair lady? Why have you come all this way, for me?"

"Samwise Gamgee, listen very closely to this. In the 13 months that Sauron unleashes his powers to the fullest capacity, you are the only one that was never directly affected by his work. You never wore the ring, you never were in the possession of a Seeing Stone, and you most certainly were never in Sauron's line of sight. Frodo had the ring, so even though you were there when all of these events took place, he was acting as a shield to you. The Ring was Sauron's only true focus. Everyone else that could alter young Sauron's fate in Valinor is under too much of a risk. Some how, some way, Sauron might remember something from his past life, and all will be over. That is why you are the best candidate for the journey. Samwise Gamgee, now it is you turn."

Although Galadriel's flood of words and explanations were almost too much to bring upon a small hobbit, everything became suddenly crystal clear to Sam. He knew the depth of his purpose, and he intended to face the growing threat that was upon Middle Earth once more.

"My lady," the brave Samwise uttered, "what must I do?"

"You must go there Samwise Gamgee. You must go to the shores of Valinor to prevent the long awaited destiny of Middle Earth from repeating itself. Middle Earth is calling to you, Samwise, and you shall be there to answer it."

**So that was chapter 4! Hope you liked it! I have some cool ideas for chapter 5, so I will try to update soon! Please REVIEW!! Thanks! **


	6. Chapter 5: A Veil Removed

**Aloha everyone! First of all, just to let you all know, I'm leaving for performing arts school right now, but luckily I got packed a little early today so I had time for a quick write. I'll be gone for 6 weeks, but when I get back I'll update some more. Secondly, I totally know that I've been gone for what seems like forever, and let me just say now that I am soo sorry. For about a year now I have been coming up with about a gazillion lame excuses about why I have no time to write. But anyway, moving on :D! Here, finally, is chapter 5. **

**Chapter 5: A Veil Removed**

And at that moment the world almost stopped spinning. Almost, because there was a part of Sam (he wasn't sure how big a part) that had always known it would come to this. Though Sam felt a tinge of something he hadn't expected in the slightest. Was it relief?

Sam gulped.

Galadriel beamed. She had faith in him. Long before the world had troubles she saw what would become of it. The elven lady saw two figures in shadow. Who they were remained a mystery. Yet there they were, standing, staring, just far enough out of the light of the flames to be anything other than silhouettes and gleaming eyes. She knew that what she saw would come to pass; when or how was yet to be foretold. Occasionally, these figures would appear in her dreams. Not doing anything, really. But sometimes the smaller figure would try to pull from the grasp of the larger. Something was not right. Too much was happening at one time to be right. Right is when nothing is uncomfortable. Here, however, in Galadriel's dream, the small figure was most definitely uncomfortable. Frustrated maybe, or worse. Infuriated?

Thousands of years later Galadriel began to put the pieces together. Over the vast amount of time that passed between the first appearances of the vision, she saw more than just still shadows and flames. The elven queen began to hear these visions. Galadriel, ruler of all Lothlorien, shuddered. For she now had a particularly clear idea of the identities of the two figures hooded in blackness. It must be stopped. It must be stopped immediately.

Galadriel looked down at the small being trembling slightly at her feet. There was no hint of fear in his eyes. No, no meek emotions. Just strength, determination. Perhaps even a little excitement. Yes, she had done the right thing…

The elven queen gestured in the direction of a clearing in the trees. The little hobbit squinted. He looked back at her, his eyes alight, and nodded. The only sound that could be heard afterwards amidst the vast trees was the splashing of the ocean and the pitter-patter of Sam's little feet marching off towards the boat that awaited him. He clambered into the elven vessel, shoved off without a second glance, and began the journey that would rival anything in the history of Middle Earth. Galadriel was left alone with her thoughts, and the vision that lay so prominently in her mind took hold once more.

Time passed.

Samwise Gamgee was very hungry. He had been sailing for what seemed like an eternity, up and down, up and down on the great grey-green sea to the land beyond the shores Middle Earth, and he had eaten the last bit of elven bread before he was even half way there. At first he was glad to be rid of the bread; the sea wasn't treating his stomach very nicely. But now that all little Sam had to do was sit and wait to see the first signs of Valinor, the bread grew more prominent in his mind.

Sam had never been one for sailing. Not that he ever really had the chance. The old Gaffer used to take him up to the Brandywine River when he was a boy for some good, wholesome fishing and sunshine. The Brandywine River, however, is quite different that the vast sea between Middle Earth and the lands beyond. The experience was very different than what he expected. Not that anyone back in Hobbiton knew for certain what leaving Middle Earth would be like. No one that left ever wanted to come back, or rather, successfully made it back to Middle Earth. Sam shuddered. He tried not to think on that a whole lot. As far as he was concerned, conditions weren't the best at the moment. As a matter of fact, he couldn't see a thing.

Fog engulfed every inch of space. Though it wasn't exactly what any creature back in Middle Earth would call _normal _fog. Samwise wasn't quite sure it should be called fog in the first place, but there were no other words that could fit it better. It could better be described as vast nothingness engulfing the sea and the sky, the light and the dark. It was nothing really, nothing. Just white. A big patch of white between worlds. It didn't move or twist or swirl. It was like a sort of wall barricading Middle Earth from the rest of the universe. But it wasn't a wall. It was nothing. Sam noticed it not long after he departed from the company of Galadriel and began his journey on the water. There was no use in trying to navigate around it (for one thing, he didn't want to risk the chance of careening of course) being as the fog went as far at the eye could see, beginning right in front of the point at which Sam had sat, watching his little boat float closer and closer. With a sigh, Samwise Gamgee looked behind him. Lothlorien and the rest of his world was staring back at him, saying goodbye.

When the vessel finally entered the fog, things became difficult. The fog, if you will, was so that anyone who was unlucky enough to be caught up in it became hopelessly disoriented to the point of not knowing the difference between left from right. Samwise, brave Sam, didn't fear. Not that there was anything he could do about it anyway. So he sat, and ate, and waited to arrive.

For all he know, that could have been weeks ago. Now however, he had never been more ready to see land. The sea was nice of course, but not being able to see the tip of your own nose can be ever so disgruntling after a while. He especially hated the feeling of not knowing at all where he was or even if he was going in the right direction. But of all the things he hated most, the silence was on the top of the list. The dreadful, dreadful silence. Silence that was so present it hurt one's ears. Silence that threatened to crush you if you paid to much attention to it. Silence. Nothing.

Samwise Gamgee felt a lurch. Waves? No.

In the dreadful, loathsome silence, Sam heard a thud on the bottom of the boat. To say that noise on the bottom of the boat scared the little hobbit would be a gross understatement. In his moment of terror Sam lurched so hard that he himself almost tipped the whole boat over. That would be lovely.

Sam gathered his wits and froze. He had to think. Something was in the water beneath him. Something not so small. Something that could possibly think a hobbit would make a perfect addition to an afternoon snack of tea and crumpets. Sam cursed the _fog _out loud. The hobbit shuddered. The only thing worse than having something collide with the bottom of your boat would be not being able to see the thing that collided with the bottom of your boat.

As bravely as any hobbit could ever be, Samwise Gamgee made up his mind to scoot over to the edge of the boat and take a look, if he possibly could see anything at all, in the water.

_Creak._

The boat groaned as he shifted his weight near the edge. He sighed, and leaned over to take a peek. Moment of truth.

Surprisingly he could see the water when he got close enough.

Three pairs of great yellow eyes stared back at him.

Samwise Gamgee very nearly had a stroke.

Whimsical, croaky voices filled his ears.

"_There is no reason to fear us, Samwise Gamgee. We know why you have come. You are very close to Valinor now, and we shall escort you out of None."_

Sam was doing all he could do just to keep breathing. Obviously the strange sets of eyes, and whatever those eyes were attached to, knew what he was thinking.

"_Yes, Samwise Gamgee, you are in None. Not a particularly clever name for this place, but None describes it as well as any. You see, the lands of Valinor are not connected with any on the other side. Quite literally, there is nothing in between the two worlds. Not even sound. Touch the water."_

Sam blinked, dumbfounded.

"_Go on, touch it." _The voices were not sinister. Nevertheless chills shot up and down the hobbits spine.

Samwise Gamgee touched the water. But it wasn't wet. It wasn't even water. Like everything else in None, as it seemed to be called, there was nothing there. Nothing in None. Sam gasped. He leaned on the side of the boat for support.

"_Fear not, dear hobbit, your journey to Valinor is almost over." _A slimy green arm reached out of the, well, illusion of water, and touched the trembling Sam's cheek. He felt the boat move forward. Obviously he had come to a stop when he felt the impact on the bottom of his little elven boat, but other things managed to grab his attention at the time. He glanced back at the eyes in the water. They never stopped staring, and the one, though he couldn't tell which one, never let goof his cheek. Somehow the eyes looked a little less menacing and a little more open and welcoming.

No one spoke for a while. At first it seemed as if the never ending silence had returned, though it seemed less dense and crushing. Finally, at long last:

"_Welcome, Samwise Gamgee, to Valinor." _

And suddenly everything became so clear, so absolutely crystal clear. It was as if a great veil had been removed from his senses, and he was whole again. No more white. No more nothing. Sam breathed in a breath of the freshest air he had ever tasted. He looked into the water. The three pairs of yellow eyes had vanished. Samwise looked behind him. There, once again, was the vast white wall. He had to admit, it was nice to view it from the other side.

And then, for the first time, Samwise Gamgee looked ahead. There in the distance lay the most beautiful land he had ever seen. He couldn't help but whoop with joy.

Valinor was at his feet.

**Yay! So there you have it. Chapter 5. I totally love this chapter by the way :D. Remember I'm leaving now for 6 weeks, so you'll have to wait a while for the update. I *promise* I won't wait a year in between XD. **

**The little green button down there is calling your name. You know it is ;D…**


	7. Chapter 6: And so it Begins

**Hey! Here's chapter 6!**

**Chapter 6: And so it Begins…**

Valinor. The land of undying peace and comfort. A land of no more trials and tribulation. Sam laughed out loud. That's hilarious. When Sam landed on the shores of Valinor, his stress level had never been higher. He was looking for the child version of Sauron. Sauron, the one who almost destroyed all of Middle Earth in its entirety through a tiny little ring. Great. This ought to go smoothly….

Everything was extremely grey. There were no ripples on the water (much to Sam's relief, for he did not care to ever see those creatures that dwell in the water again) and there was no breeze in the trees. Everything was still. All was quite. Sam was quite sure that his heartbeat would give him away in an instant. Before him lay a giant grey forest. It didn't look menacing, per say, but to little Samwise Gamgee, even the smallest of creatures could be terrifying. All of this went through Sam's mind before he even got out of his little boat. Something inside him stirred. Time to move on. With that, the little hobbit picked up his pack of belongings and stepped onto the beach.

To his surprise, sand wasn't like any other sand he had encountered in Middle Earth. It wasn't made of rock, but diamond of the finest quality. It sparkled and shined in the reflection of the water unlike anything Samwise had ever seen. When he walked on this sand, it gave the impression of one floating through mid air. This served as a temporary distraction for the hobbit; his mind wasn't on Sauron at the moment.

After finally clearing the beach, Samwise had almost reached the trees. They were so incredibly tall that he couldn't see the top even when he strained his little neck as far as it would go. They reminded him of the trees he had encountered in Lothlorien. Somehow these trees in Valinor seemed ever-so-slightly sinister. They were too strait and sturdy to be welcoming. When Sam got mere inches away from the first tree, he stopped dead in his tracks, and turned around. The boat was gone. He could not see it anywhere on the long beach. And then he spotted it. There, maybe 100 feet out on the water, was his tiny little elven boat. No one rode in it, but Sam seriously suspected those creatures he had encountered in None to be behind this sort of foul play. How would he ever get back now? Sam sighed, and turned back around to face the looming trees. Samwise Gamgee took a step, and he was in the forests of Valinor.

After what seemed to little Sam like days (maybe it had been days, for in Valinor you can never tell for sure), he still had achieved nothing. He had seen no signs of life, past or present, and he certainly hadn't seen anyone from the dear Fellowship, as Lady Galadriel had promised he would. There was still not a single sound to be heard. He couldn't even hear his own footsteps on the hard forest ground. As time went on, the only thing Samwise Gamgee really achieved was running himself in countless circles. By now he was out of breath, and for some unknown reason, he had begun to forget. He didn't forget anything in particular, just little bits of information. Where he was exactly, the time of day, where he needed to go. But it would all come back to him in time, after he did another fair share of running about. Frustrated and exhausted, the little hobbit had to face the facts: he was indeed direly lost. Sam decided walking might be better for his condition at the moment, so he began to walk blindly in the direction that looked the least straining. Suddenly, and without warning, _SPLASH. _Samwise Gamgee had fallen face first into a puddle. It was very strange because this was the first sign of water the little hobbit (now soaking wet) had encountered since he left the beach. There were no other bodies of water near him, as far as he could see. Why in the world did he have to fall directly into this one? Sam was near tears. Everything was going wrong.

Eventually, the wet, cold, and very much lost Samwise Gamgee convinced himself to stop moving altogether, and to sit down, and to think things through. What he needed was a plan. Fast. There was still no sound whatsoever. The first thing the little hobbit had heard in a long time was his own self falling into that puddle. Samwise sat under a very large tree in the middle of the path. He laid his head back, closed his eyes, and listened. To what? He didn't know. But listen he did, for a long time. Sam felt entirely alone. He didn't know what to do next, and he was terribly, terribly, afraid. Abruptly, in the midst of all the silence and despair, the sound of leaves rustling could be heard-a twig snapping here and there. Then again, alone was just a feeling.

Samwise had never been more alert in his life. Something was definitely in the forest with him. From the sounds of it, something not so small. In any case, something bigger than he was. He did not dare to move. He did not dare to breathe or think. Just listen.

"_SAMWISE, YOU FOOL!_"

With that, Samwise Gamgee lost consciousness altogether.

When Samwise finally regained consciousness, it was the dead of night. Well, it was dark enough to be night anyway. One can never be for sure in Valinor. He could hear voices around him, the crackling of a fire. He could smell food cooking. He was very careful not to open his eyes before he got a good idea of his surroundings. Then, "Gandalf, do you think he'll be alright?" Gandalf? GANDALF? Samwise Gamgee jumped straight off the ground and onto his feet. There, before him, was a sight he had dreamed of seeing for a very long time.

He was standing in a clearing of the forest, trees all around him, and in the middle of this clearing was a campfire. Around the campfire sat faces that made him cry tears of joy. It was Gandalf the White, Legolas of the Elves, Aragorn, who had temporarily left his kingdom to do his part for the Fellowship. And there, sitting in the very front of them all, was Frodo Baggins. Sam's little legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees in front of them all, the people who he loved like no other.

Gandalf came over to the hobbit, who was now a sobbing mess, and helped him over to the rest of the group. He couldn't stop staring at each of them. They were staring back warmly. "Finally," thought Sam, "friendly, familiar faces." Could he really be seeing them again, after so long a time? It was almost too good to be true. Then Gandalf began to speak.

"Welcome to Valinor, Samwise Gamgee, and welcome to the meeting. We've been expecting you for some time." He beamed. Sam couldn't speak. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he might burst into tears all over again. "Let the meeting begin," Legolas added calmly, eagerly. Gandalf rose, staff in hand. He looked very important indeed. "Samwise Gamgee, Lady Galadriel has sent you to the Undying Lands on a mission. We are here to help. Right now, in the land of Grindfolk, an unrecognizable Sauron is asleep in his bed, in a blacksmith's cabin. We met him not even a fortnight ago, and have been watching him ever since. Now is where your part comes in, Samwise." Sam tried to smile, but unfortunately it appeared to be more of a grimace. "It is time for you, once and for all, to come face to face with the child who has the potential to cover the entire world in darkness. You must stop him, Samwise. You must change the fortunes of the world. Are you ready?"

The little, trembling hobbit looked around the small circle, at each face, one by one, until he met the eyes of Frodo. He remembered everything Frodo Baggins went through for the Middle Earth. Why shouldn't he do the same? He was beginning to feel confident once more as Frodo gave him a sort of encouraging smile. Sam looked back a Gandalf, and spoke for the first time. "Yes, Gandalf. I am ready. Take me to Sauron."

And with that, fate began to change.

**Ok, so that's chapter 6! Hopefully you got the references to the preface XD. But ya, you know that green button down there is getting lonely. *hint hint* **

**Chapter 7 should be up next weekend! Ttfn!**


	8. Chapter 7: Curious Company

**Hey hey hey! So my computer has been an idiot for the past 2 ½ weeks, which is why it has taken me a while to get this up. But ya, this has been sitting on my computer looking pretty until the internet decided to work again. I guess today it actually wants to cooperate XD.**

**And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! :D**

**Chapter 7: Curious Company**

Through the vast forests of Valinor, past the towering ore filled mountains, beyond, the great cities of the Elves, there is a town. A tiny little town by the name of Grindfolk. It was neither valiant nor stunning, yet in a ramshackle cabin belonging to the blacksmith on the edge of this town, a little boy slept. A little boy of great significance. He would be feared to the ends of the earth one day, killing every good thing in his path, losing everything in fire and water. Losing everything to precious metal. But right now, he was just a little boy. The little boy was dreaming:

_Fire. Lots of fire. Everything is so bright. He can't move very well; he is wearing some sort of black armor. The heat can be overwhelming to all who are exposed to it, but not him. He is freezing inside his metal suit. The very heart and soul of him feels frozen solid. Suddenly, something catches his eye. A flash of gold. A ring? He needs this ring. It is of great importance to him. It is precious. Yet he despises it. No, he must destroy this thing in which has destroyed everything. He did not want this. Never. Never did he want this end. He turns from this tiny gold object. But there it is again. He can not escape the fate he has chosen for himself. He reaches for the ring. _

_He is on a great precipice. Fire all around him. The ring is on his finger. It is heavy, weighing him down. He cannot pick up his arm with the weight. He looks down, over the edge. Fire. Lots of fire. He is afraid now. Afraid of what the ring might make him do. It's getting heavier. Every second it pulls him further down. Finally, finally, he slips over the edge. He grabs onto a loose rock in the side of the enormous wall. He cannot hang on much further. His grip is slipping, slipping. The ring is making him weak, too tired to keep fighting. Suddenly, the rock breaks free of the wall. He is falling, falling…_

Sauron violently sat up in his bed. He was crying, terrified. The covers were twisted and tangled at the foot of the bed, and he was freezing. It was still pitch black outside so he really couldn't see anything, but he groped around in the dark until he found the blankets. Of course, Sauron knew there was no way he would go back to sleep after that nightmare. He was so sick of having that dream. One thing was certain though, and that was the fact that the rock had never come loose before. He shuddered. It definitely wasn't because of the cold that time. For about an hour Sauron lay in his tiny wooden room, staring at the ceiling, reading a page or two from a book the blacksmith had given him (_The Ugly Duckling_), although he never really understood its significance. Finally, after much tossing and turning and staring and reading, Sauron decided to go into the kitchen for a nice warm glass of cider. That always put him back to sleep. But before he could put his feet on the cold hardwood floor, something caught his attention.

There was a knock at the window. Actually it sounded more like someone throwing rocks and such at the window than actually knocking, which was puzzling to Sauron because the window couldn't have been more than 5 feet off the ground. He couldn't see anyone, or anything, outside, which was even more puzzling, and slightly alarming. Slowly, Sauron climbed out of bed. He inaudibly moved toward the square window at the edge of the room and peered over the seal. What he saw then was so extremely puzzling to him that he nearly ran straight into the blacksmiths room for protection, yet the sight before him didn't necessarily seem dangerous. Strange, yes, but not but definitely not harmful. You see, Sauron of grind folk was looking at a hobbit. A quite chubby hobbit, to be exact, with curls of mousy hair and a face wrinkled up in determination, or fear. Sauron really couldn't tell which. When the chubby hobbit had finally noticed Sauron was peering down at him, he let out a shocked little squeak and fell back into a wheel-barrow full of soil for crop tending. Sauron giggled. What a peculiar creature. Sauron motioned to the hobbit and scurried off to the front door. He opened it with caution; he wasn't sure whether this newcomer could be trusted, for one thing, and he also did not, under any circumstances, wake the blacksmith and his wife. He already had his share of floggings for dawdling in his work.

After peering around the edge of the doorway, Sauron two tiny feet kicking up in the air (the hobbit was still stuck in the wheel-barrow). This creature was so tremendously curious. He helped the frazzled hobbit out of the soil and set him upright. Sauron noticed the hobbit looking at him as if he were some sort of exotic animal at the circus. Sauron looked at the hobbit with intense fascination and curiosity. The moment seemed to last a bit longer than it should have. Finally the hobbit spoke:

"Erm, hello there," the hobbit shuffled his feet awkwardly. "My name is Samwise Gamgee. I'm here, along with my company," he waved in the general direction of a large hay bail somewhere on the edge of the grounds. Faintly, Sauron could see the outline of the others, "to, erm, to, to," he was stuttering madly, "to find a warm place to sleep for the next few nights, and possibly some food to fill our empty stomachs. You see, we have been traveling for a long while, and we have come to an agreement that rest would come in handy." The hobbit grinned, in way. His nerves were definitely coming through.

"Why of course, dear sir," Sauron replied. He was still quite puzzled. "The blacksmith always says hospitality is the best quality one can have while dealing with the public. And I'm going to be the master of this place one day, after the blacksmith can go on no longer." Sauron was definitely proud of this. "Just wave the rest of your company over here, Sir, and I shall show you to the guest rooms for the remainder of the night. In the morning, the blacksmith with work the rest out with you." Sauron watched the hobbit nod slightly, and wave over the rest of the beings with him, they certainly didn't look like hobbits, and if they were, they were much taller. As the got closer, however, Sauron was sure they were most definitely not hobbits at all. One was a wizard, of some sort, clad in white linen and carrying a long staff. The other was just as pale, in pale blue robes and hair fairer than cream. This one had pointed ears. An elf. And suddenly, one more stepped out from behind the wizard. Another hobbit, as it seemed. He had dark curls and deep blue eyes. He was much skinnier than the one who calls himself Samwise, but of equal stature. He seemed to be avoiding Sauron's eyes, which puzzled the boy, but suddenly, he looked up. Their eyes met.

_Everything was covered in darkness. He had seem this one before. But where? Where? Rage over took him. He cried out in fury. Flames surrounded him. Flames and a flash of gold. Was he dreaming? The hobbit was his enemy. He knew not how but this he knew for certain. The hobbit will destroy him through fire and metal. He shall conquer everything. Everything…_

Sauron jolted awake. The blacksmith had dunked his head in a bucket of ice cold water. He must have lost consciousness. They newcomers were all looking at him with deep curiosity, especially the wizard. His shining blue eyes sparkled with wonderment and knowledge. He knew something. The elf smooth face was unreadable. Samwise Gamgee's face, however, was twisted with fear. He appeared as if he lost consciousness as well. As Sauron looked about the group, he noticed one was missing. The dark hobbit was not there. Blast it all. As it turns out, Sauron was already beginning to forget the vision, is that is a suitable name for what he had seen, so he count not particularly pinpoint why he wanted to see the dark hobbit in the first place. Suddenly he was almost relaxed again, and he wanted a sweet bun from the blacksmith's wife. He could smell them baking in the oven.

The blacksmith steadied Sauron, and lead him into the cottage. At the door, he motioned for the newcomers to enter the house. There was much to be planned.

**That's chapter 7! No promises on when I can get ch.8 up on account of my internet being an idiot, but keep checking back because it may decide it wants to work :D. **

**Shhh! Do you hear that? I think it's that green button down there calling your name…XD **

**By the way I have no idea what these random letters are at the end of this but I certainly did not type them ********. **He HesjflskdjflksdjfkljsdfjJLDKJSFLKJSDSDFSDFSdfgdgdfffffffhjth


	9. Chapter 8: Out of the Fire

**YAY! I finally found the time out of rehearsing to write another chapter. Once again, I apologize for the huge gap between updates, but for the duration of the school year (and summer for that matter), it's going to be choppy. This one is pretty short because I felt there was a power in getting straight to the point in this chapter. I didn't want to draw it out. That being said, here's chapter 8!**

_**Disclaimer: I totally don't own any of LOTR *sigh*, however, the first few lines of this chapter are from the Fellowship of the Ring movie. **_

**Chapter 8: Out of the Fire**

_The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it. It all began with the forging of the Great Rings._

The forests of Lothlorien were quite empty and silent in the days following the departure of Samwise Gamgee on his second grand adventure to the Undying Lands. Galadriel had wondered the forest what seemed like a hundred times since then. She could feel something, something unsettling. A disturbance was moving closer to Middle Earth.

One day, as the elven queen was walking through the vast grey forests, she felt the urge to stop abruptly, so she did just that. It was midmorning, and the sun was shining as bright as ever. Birds were chirping, the sound of the Lothlorien waterfalls could be heard as far as the Misty Mountains and beyond. Everything was at peace. Everything was so serene. But not Galadriel. The elven queen was listening. The very earth seemed to slow.

Suddenly her fair skin turned fairer. She was trembling. Galadriel had feared this day would come. All the signs were there, but she prayed to Heaven that she had

misunderstood them. Immediately, Galadriel, queen of the elven, broke out into a full on sprint.

Galadriel dashed all the way back to the center of Lothlorien, out of breath, a stitch in her side, and never more concerned in her life. She was standing over the mirror of Galadriel. The mirror which Frodo Baggins had peered into so long ago and saw the Shire going up in flames. If she was not cautious beyond belief, that fate may yet come to be. With shaking hands the queen drew water into the pitcher and meticulously poured it into the stone basin. The water stirred as if it were waking from a restless slumber. Galadriel peered into the basin, weary, anxious for her theory to be confirmed. Just then, the water became distorted. It no longer reflected the enormous trees of Lothlorien, nor could Lady Galadriel see her own reflection in the water. Instead, she was looking at the ocean. It was very foggy, or so it seemed, to the point of Galadriel not being able to make out anything but the rolling waves. But then…

There was a figure in the middle of the water. It appeared to be a raft of some sort (rather a good sized piece of bark from one of the Valinor trees). There was something sitting on it, attempting to stay afloat on the turbulent swells. As it drew closer, Galadriel could begin to make out exactly what that something was on the raft. It was using a long branch as a paddle, not that a paddle was necessarily needed on waters like these, and it looked rather decrepit. Whether it was the creature's gangly body or the fact that Galadriel could count the creature ribs one by one from a distance that made her uncomfortable, she could not tell. But then, for just a moment, the creature looked up, straight through the basin of water, and into Galadriel's eyes. His bright green saucer eyes met her disgust laden ones, and for that moment, the world stopped turning.

Galadriel threw the pitcher into the water. The elven queen could not stand for another moment to look into those horrid eyes. Her suspicions had been confirmed. Within mere seconds Queen Galadriel made up her mind. She would be forced to flee into the mountains until further decisions could be made. She must not be caught. She must not be seen.

Galadriel had spent a quick 15 minutes gathering certain belongings for her journey. Items such as bottled stars and elven potions would be essential, not to mention elven bread and clothing. She had decided it would be best to remain as silent as absolutely possible (which would be relatively easy being as she was an elf) so unwanted ears would not pick up her sound.

Galadriel picked up her pack and walked back over to the Mirror. She removed the pitcher from the water and managed to, as fast as she possibly could, mop up the water that spilled over. She did not want it to look like she had just used it. That just might buy her some valuable time.

Suddenly, and without warning, Galadriel heard a sound that made her elven blood turn cold.

Heavy breathing, leaves crunching.

The elven queen spun around, although she feared more than anything to see the sight before her.

What she saw before her eyes was the same bright green pair she had met in the mirror.

There, across the clearing, was a snickering, maniacal shell of a hobbit.

Gollum had returned once more, and he was hungry for gold.


End file.
